We chose this cruise for its great itinerary. I was a little wary of the ship because of some reviews I read, but I found the ship immaculate and very well maintained (our bathroom needed a little maintenance) and the staff was very nice. The captain had a good sense of humor and got us to Malta, which I understand is a stop that is at times bypassed because of the winds. I would have given the cruise 5 stars, but the food was a little disappointing, the internet was problematic, as well as some of the entertainment. Our last two cruises were on Holland America, and the food was superior to the one on this cruise. The major complaint (as has been stated previously in other reviews) is that some dishes are just too salty. Also, we don't eat meat and the fish dishes were so so, and there were not enough vegetarian main dishes. We only ate at the free venues. Breakfast was good. Included internet was slow and we had to upgrade to the unlimited internet, which was pricey, although the value of the free program was deducted from the total cost. Entertainment was variable and some was very loud. The Italian opera singer was excellent.

We took the ship excursions in every port. On the whole they were good but some were pricey. The last excursion in Naples, which included Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri, would have been much nicer if there had been 2 or 3 tour groups instead of one. It was just way too large. The guide spent too much time counting us and it took away from what should have been one of the highlights of the trip. Our favorite stop was Rhodes - we had a fantastic guide (Tour: "Highlights of Rhodes") and beautiful weather, and free time to wander in the old city and then a very short walk back to the ship.

Where NCL really shines is in its organization for embarkation and disembarkation and everything in between. I've never been able to get on or off a ship so quickly and easily. The people in Guest Svcs and Shore Excursions and Tour Director were also nice and efficient. Read more